FrontEngineDragsters.Org Forum
Drag Racing Discussions => Front Engine Dragsters => Topic started by: wideopen231 on July 03, 2022, 07:13:45 AM
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Wondering if any here are or have run the lightened ring gears or polished ring gear. I have about decide on my best gear for car and getting ready to pull trigger on purchase of new gear,figure lightening is worth it if can get enougfh weight off gear.As for polished gear I see were it might pay off with less drag but being bracket car doubt it is worth cost for this car.
If running or have run either I would like your thoughts on both.Especailly interested in longevity of lightened gears.
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Exner doesn’t like the lightened gears unless it’s for like super stock/stock eliminator stuff.
He says what you gain in et isn’t worth what you lose in longevity. That’s at least one man’s opinion.
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I have Richmond lightened and polished 4.20 gear in mine. runs upper 4.70's 1/8 mile. So far so good. Not sure I would have spent the extra $ if I were buying new gears, but I got such a good deal on these that I had to give them a shot
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Longivity is only concern about them. Never going to see et gain on paper from 3 or 4 lbs. but as part of a package it all adds up.
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Chris you can't get much weight out of a 4.30 or 4.10 gear . The lower ratio's like 4.86 and lower use a very heavy ring gear they are very thick and you can get a decent amount of weight out of them !
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Thinks Bil.
I was going to call Frank this week and ask how much he could cut off higher gears.
Running 4.10 right now and have a 4.30 on shelf. If it would calm car and make it more consistent I would like to try 3.89 also. Thinking about going to a taller tire like 33 and just keeping 4.10 for while. I figure I am pretty soft on line with 1.69 low and 4.10. Been hitting 1.04 to 1.06 60's with cpl crappers threw in on crap track.
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Watching cpl videos of tricked out ring gears with the ceramic or coated bearings spinning like crazy does make you want the big boy high dollar toy parts. Might by pass lightening for while and maybe do some HA polishing the gears. I have front wheel ceramics and might go for new axle bearings. You know if you do it one piece at a time it does not cost as much as if you piad all at once. Well you can tell your wife what you spent one part w/o saying its only one part.LOL
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Going to have to get gear soon since one I have is used piece that may or may not hyave lots of use in past. Figure if order one I can get some wieght off for anout 75 bucks, sure not as much as Parks would get. The REM polish looks like good investment in gear life and less friction. Less friction less heat and stress, got to help live longer. Figure I can do blus steel bearings and reduce drags also. Not same as ceramic but have few telling me they have seen ceramic bearing failures. Plus less cost. hey it is just bracket car right and no need to go stupid on spending money.LMAO
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You've probably considered this, but what about the heat treat and alloy of the gears you're considering that have been lightened. Are they a gear that is more intended for long term/mileage use (street, circle track?) and harder material and heat treat, or are you looking at gears that are "softer" to better withstand hard launches of a drag car? I sold a lot of lightened 9" Ford gears for circle track cars but they would have all been the harder "street" heat treat or alloy versions. With lightened gears (ring gear) I think the main advantage would be the reduced inertia to accelerate or decelerate the mass of the gear.
But, I've been a weight fanatic too, but not on my current, budget bracket race FED build. I figure grams add up to ounces which add up to pounds which, before you realize it, your car, airplane or whatever is 50 or 100# fat compared to what it could have been. Some weight is almost impossible to remove once it's built in.
Like I said though, you've probably thought about all of this already.
Lynn
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I run pro gears. The softer ones for taking hard hits.